Buckle



May 13, 1941. c, E, BEA'TTY 2,242,102

BUCKLE Filed Sept. 9, 1940 I INVENTOR. BY QfiEE/Vi A? Emrry Patented May13, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUCKLE Clarence E. Beatty, ColoradoSprings, 0010. Application September 9, 1940, Serial No. 355,910

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in buckles. I v

It is the object of this invention to produce a buckle of simple andsubstantial design that can be manufactured at a low cost and whichshall be effective and ornamental in appearance. Another object is toproduce a buckle that does not require the belt or strap with which itis used to be provided with holes, but which employs a clamping action.

A further object is to produce a buckle that can be constructed entirelyfrom wire or'which can be made from ,a combination of wire and sheetmetal and a still further object is to produce a double acting bucklethat can be employed to connect two ends of a belt, band, or strap.

Thelabove and any other objects that may become apparent as thisdescription proceeds are obtained by means of a construction and anarrangement of parts that will now be described in detail and for thispurpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which theinvention has been illustrated, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan viewof the improved buckle; A

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view;

Figure 4 is a section taken on ure 1;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of another emline 4-4, Figbodiment of theinvention;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the buckle shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side elevation showing the buckle illustrated in Figures 5and6 attached to a wrist band in such way that the band protects theskin from contact with metal parts, and Figure 8 is a plan view showinga double ended buckle of the type shown in Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawing, reference numeral I0 designates a clampingmember ofre silient sheet metal of substantially the shape shown inFigurel, in which two pairs-of tongues H and I! have been cut from themetal leaving openings I 3 as shown in Figure 1. These tongues are bentinto overlapping position as shown in Figure 2 so as .to form bearingsfor the sides of rectangular frames which have been designated byreference numeral M. The metal clamping member I0 is reversely bent atpoints l5, and the endsywhich are turned back and which have beendesignated by reference numeral l6, are downwardly curved and outwardlyconcave and terminate at points IT. The frames M are preferablyrectangular with either sharp corners or rounded corners as may be foundmost desirable. One of the parallel sides of each frame is fulcrumed inthe bearings formed by tongues II and I2, and the other side is free tomove about the pivot point. 'The parts are so proportioned that thedistance from the axis of the pivots to the ends of the reversely bentend members I! is slightly greater than the cor responding distance fromthe axis to the inner surface of the movable side of the frame andtherefore the clamping member must bend slight- 1y as the frame is movedabout its pivot into and away from the position shown in Figure 4. Theposition of the ends I! relative to the frame c'anbe varied to get thebest results-with the particular thickness of belt or strap used, butdue'to the resiliency of the clamping members a considerable variationis permissible. It will be observed that the bends l5 are so positionedthat they project beyond the free ends of the frames and overlap theends I8 of a belt or strap 19 to which the buckle is secured in themanner .shown in Figure 4. The ends ll engage the bight of the belt andforce the same against the frame while the overlapping ends of the platel0 keep the ends of .the belt pressed downwardly, whereupon; a clampingaction is obtained that holds the belt or strap quite-firmlyin position.When the'buckle is tobe applied to the ends of a strap or belt theframes are bent downwardly into 9 the ;dotted line position shown inFigure 2,

whereupon the belt can be readily threaded through the frame. The frameis now pressed upwardly against the reversely bent portion l6 andtension is applied to the belt, whereupon the ends 11 are moved intoclamping position asshown in Figure 4. When the belt is to be releasedfrom the buckle, tension is supplied to the end or ends I8, whereuponthe clamping member and the frames are moved into inoperative position.

The buckle just described lends itself to the construction of a wire andsheet metal buckle having the general appearance shown in Figure1,-whose surface canbe ornamented or provided with initials or monogramscorresponding to the owner's name.

In Figures 5, 6, and 7 a slightly modified form of. construction hasbeen shown in which the frame as well as the clamping member ismadenumeral 25, extends to a point below the frame corresponding to thepoints IT in Figure 4. The parts designated by reference numerals 26correspond to the reversely bent portions IS in Figures 1 to 4.

Buckles constructed in the manner shown in Figures 5 and 6 can bemade'at small costand are very effective for the purpose intended. Suchbuckles are intended primarily for Army belts,

for book straps, and for other uses where a substantial and inexpensivebuckle is desired.

In Figure 7 a buckle of the type shown in Figures 5 and 6 has been shownas connected with a wrist-band or a garter, and it will be seen fromthis figure that the band or garter protects the skin from contact withthe metal parts and therefore prevents discoloration or chafing due tosuch metallic contact. The manner in which the buckle is attached to thewrist-band is so clearly apparent from Figure 7 that a detaileddescription is believed to be unnecessary.

In Figure 8 a modification of the buckle shown in Figures 5 and 6 hasbeen illustrated. In this modified form two frames M are employed in amanner corresponding to that of Figures 1 to 4. The clamping memberwhich comprises the arms 2!, instead of terminating in loops 22, extendsin the opposite direction and' provides arms 23a which correspond toarms 2! in Figure 5, and these are bent laterallyand reversely asindicated by reference numerals 21 and 28. Parts 28 are downwardly andforwardly curved and terminate in ends 2511. When constructed in themanner shown in Figure 8, the buckle corresponds in almost everyparticular with that shown in Figures 1 to 3 and can be employed in thesame manner for attaching the two ends of a belt or strap without firstsewing or otherwise securing one end to the buckle as must be done whena construction like that shown in Figures 5 and 6 is employed.

Attention is called to the fact that in the several embodimentsillustrated the clamping member extends beyond the movable end of theframe and this overlapping part of the clamp holds the end 18 of thebelt or strap in a position substantially I parallel to the belt portionindicated by reference numeral is. The clamping action is effected bythe ends I? of the reversely bent portions of the member l0 and by thecorresponding ends "25 and 25a of the clamping member shown in Figures 5and 6.

Referring again to Figure 8, attention is "called to the fact that thetwo clamping members Zl and 2311 may be made separate instead'ofin'tegral in which case the frame encircling loops 22 of the twoclamping members are not interconnected, but separate thereby producinga double ended buckle comprising two buckles like that shown in Figure5. The hinged construction just described is more desirable for somepurposes than a construction in which the two clamp members areintegral. If desired the clamping members of the double hinged bucklemay be made of sheet buckle can be released by a pull on ends l8 andmoved into operative position by a pull on the strap or belt portionsl9.

Attention is called in particular to the great simplicity of thisbuckle, as the clamping member :shown in Figures 1 to 4 can be formed byautomatic machinery, and the same is true of the wire clamping membershown in the other embodimerits.

Although applicant has described in detail three specific embodiments ofhis invention, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative,and'that the invention may be-embodied in other forms and applicanttherefore does not want to be limited to any greater extent thanrequired by the scope of the appended claims whenconstrued in accordancewith the doctrine of mechanical equivalents. V

In the above description the frame has been defined as rectangular orsubstantially so. It is to be understood that the sides l 4 do not haveto be parallel or straight as they merely serve to connect the other twosides, one of which forms the pivot and the other of which cooperateswith the clamping member.

Attention is directed to Figure 4 from which it will be seen that whentension is applied to belt I9 any movement of the belt relative to theframes [4 tends to move points I! in the same direction and urges thereversely bent ends l5 to wards the belt thereby increasing the clampingaction.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a buckle having a substantially four-sided frame, a clampingmember of resilient material pivoted to one side of the frame, theclamping member projecting beyond the other side of the frame where itterminates in a reverse bend, the reversely bent portion terminating ina downwardly extending forwardly concave portion.

2. In a buckle having a substantially four-sided frame, a clampingmember of resilient material pivoted to one side of the frame, theclamping member projecting beyond the other side of the frame where itterminates in a reverse bend, the reversely bent portion terminating ina laterally extending portion concave away from the pivot. the distancefrom the pivot to the concave portion beingsubstantially the same as thedistance from the pivot to "the opposite side of the frame.

3. In a buckle having a four sided frame, a

f clamping member of resilient material pivoted to one side of theframe, the'clamping member projecting beyond the other side of theframe, said clamping member having a laterally extending portion concaveaway from the pivot, the distance from the pivot to the concave portionbeing substantially the same as the distance from the pivot 'to theopposite side of the frame.

CLARENCE E. BEATTY.

